27 year old Marvin Ottley walked out of the Supreme Court a free man this afternoon after he was acquitted of attempted murder and robbery. Ottley had been charged along with Allen James for the June 21st 2007 robbery and shooting of a Chinese businesswoman. He walked out of court free today because the DPP withdrew the charges due to a lack of evidence. The case will however proceed against Allen James.
On that day in June two years ago, Chinese businesswoman Si Mei Deng was closing her store when two men – one of them armed – stormed into her store and stole the security guard’s gun and then placed a gun at her back and ordered her to turn over the money. They got $1,100 after which they attempted to flee. But before they could the security guard from an adjoining business opened fire on the bandits who then returned fire. Innocent bystander Kimberly Marin who was in the area was injured in the cross fire.
In court neither Kimberly Marin or Si Mei Deng were able to identify Ottley or James as the attackers but the security guard that ran to assist did. Clifford Guy says that he recognized one of the gunmen he was in a shootout with was his own cousin Allen James. And that’s why the trial will continue against Allen James.
This morning Justice Adolph Lucas ordered the jury to acquit Marvin Ottley. The trial against Allen James continues tomorrow.
